Bacteriological analysis of the drinking water from different schools in Northern India: A concern in developing countries
Abstract
Introduction: Potable water is an essential ingredient for good health and the socio-economic development of man. In developing countries, biological contamination of drinking water is a major concern for public health authorities. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 5% of all deaths in these countries are directly related to water diseases resulting from poor quality of drinking water and lack of hygiene and sanitation.
Material and methods: The aim of this study was to determine the water quality of reservoirs at schools in district Amritsar. A total of 903 drinking water samples were collected from various water sources in different schools and the samples were analyzed to assess bacteriological quality of water for presumptive coliform count by multiple tube test.
Results: A total of 39.8% (360/903) samples from various sources were found to be unfit for human consumption. Of the total 360 unsatisfactory samples, 189 were from submersible pumps, 97 were from taps of piped supply (domestic / public), 48 from hand pumps and 26 were from various other sources.
Conclusion: It is therefore important to determine the quality, microbial diversity from water sources consumed by the people, especially used by children, because they are vulnerable to different kinds of diseases since their immune systems are still developing. Bacteriological assessment of all water sources for drinking should be planned and conducted on regular basis to prevent water borne dissemination of diseases.
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